652 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



readily be seen that there is a large advantage in fall or win- 

 ter irrigation. 



Garden Crops With and Without Irrigation. 



In connection with the thirty-four plats just reported on, 

 experiments have been carried on in the raising of garden 

 produce with irrigation and without it. The experimental 

 work here shows that water is absolutely essential to a pro- 

 ductive garden; in fact, such products require a great deal 

 more water than field crops. The majority of the plants are 

 tender and do not root deeply, and to promote good growth 

 they must be supplied with ample food, and to make this 

 available abundant moisture is required. The irrigated garden 

 was the admiration of all who visited it, and, considering the 

 elevation of 6,000 fr.et, the results were marvelous. That por- 

 tion of the garden which was not irrigated had similar soil and 

 tillage ; in fact, all conditions were the same, with the excep- 

 tion of the application of water. The returns were so poor 

 on the unirrigated portion as not to justify the expenditure 

 for labor and seed. It will be seen, therefore, that to have a 

 successful garden in this section irrigation must be practiced. 



Trees and Fruits. 



The growing of shade trees, or windbreaks, and fruit trees 

 has been a part of the experimental work here for several 

 years past. It will be seen from the map that these are located 

 where there is no shelter, and with these unfavorable condi- 

 tions the growing of trees has not been a success. Three 

 varieties of apple trees have been tried, viz., Wealthy, Wine- 

 sap, and Jonathan five trees of each. These were planted 

 in the spring of 1908 and by the following spring only one 

 Winesap, one Jonathan and four Wealthy trees were alive, 

 the loss being due, undoubtedly, to exposure. From former 

 and present experience, the Wealthy apple is recommended 

 as being able to withstand adverse conditions better than other 

 varieties, and unless there is a natural or artificial shelter it 

 does not seem advisable to plant any other kind in this region. 

 Of the plum and cherry trees planted in 1908 about half died 

 during the following winter. However, the encouragement 

 from those that did live was enough to try again, and all the 

 dead trees were replaced in the spring of 1909 and made very 

 good growth during the summer. Experiments with shade and 

 forest trees have been much the same, the broad-leaf cotton- 

 wood being the only hardy survivor. Lombard and Carolina 

 poplars were planted at the same time, but all have died with 

 the exception of five, which have done fairly well. The pop- 

 lars have often been tried here, but so far they have not been 

 a success. The broad-leaf cottonwood has made a wonderful 

 growth and the foliage and general appearance have been 

 much admired. The box elder also does well, but until a 

 windbreak has been secured the other varieties do not do well. 



Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, grapes and cur- 

 rants have alike been unsuccessful in bearing fruit. During 

 the past season the strawberries made a vigorous growth, but 

 were practically unfruitful. This was probably due to the fact 

 that it takes such plarts some time to become inured to 

 strange conditions. It will probably take several seasons to 

 test fairly the growing of strawberries. Raspberries and 

 blackberries winterkill very easily, though laid down and cov- 

 ered with earth, which is usually deemed sufficient. Currants 

 seem to withstand the winter very well without any protection, 

 but the growth is very slow. Undoubtedly the cold north 

 winds of this section are the most serious drawback to the 

 growing of these plants. 



Windmills. 



Reference should be made here to the windmills in oper- 

 ation at the expenmen{ farm. During the past season they 

 have been in excellent working order, not a dollar having been 

 spent on them for repairs, and the maintenance cost confined 

 to the necessary expense for oil. Another report deals with 

 these windmills, but it is not out of place here to speak of 

 their usefulness in providing a water supply in connection with 

 extensive dry farming. The small cost of installing and main- 

 taining a reliable windmill places them within reach of the 

 average farmer. A storage reservoir, where water is used for 

 irrigation, is quite essential and can be constructed at a small 

 expense. In many localities puddling alone is all that is 

 necessary to prevent seepage, but it is also very true that 

 some soils will not respond to this treatment, and then it be- 

 comes necessary ;p "line the reservoir. Under some conditions 

 a cement lining is necessary, but even with this additional 

 expense the farmer depending on pumped water will find it a 

 (Continued on page 673.) 



The Lure of an Oregon Orchard 



By Irene Finley. 



Nature cares for a man if he lives the life she intended 

 him to live. She expects him to live in the country, not 

 in the crowded city. The city has its economic importance, 

 but from nature's standpoint it is a nuisance. A man 

 needs a wife, children, friends and a home with one or 

 more acres of ground. 



As Dallas Lore Sharp says, the troubles of living in 

 the city is that a person hires it done. He hires the baker 

 the milkman, the grocer and the dump-cart to haul off the 

 remains. He eats, he works a little and he sleeps, but he 

 does not live at all. His living is all done for him. He 

 gets the pumpkin pie the baker makes, but it tastes of 

 tin. He gets a can or bottle of milk, but he never sees 

 the cow even when he gets up early. He gets his vege- 

 tables all nicely tied in bundles with the dirt washed off 

 so he has no indication whether they were grown or made 

 by some machine. He gets his wood out of a hole in the 

 wall, but he never gets the vigorous exercise of splitting 

 it to keep his muscles from decaying. He gets his fruit 

 all nicely boxed, accompanied by a colored label. This 

 label is an important part of city life. It is the com- 

 mercial way of making things taste of the country. It is 



Rogue River Valley, Oregon, a Country of Orchard Homes. 



a reminder to the man in the city that he lives without 

 roots and does not even touch the earth to draw from the 

 real source of power. 



Trying to make a home in a big city is really a very 

 serious problem. In a modern city flat, one is dumped in 

 by a hoisting machine at night and dropped out again in 

 the morning. He has a floor over his head and one under 

 his feet. He lives in a good burrow, but not a home. He 

 can't make a home of a place three flights up with noth- 

 ing- but a wooden back yard and a ladder to climb down. 

 He has no garden to hoe, no fruit to pick, no chickens to 

 feed, no cow to milk. His children are of most importance. 

 Flats are not made for children. The janitor doesn't al- 

 low them. But even if he did, what's the use of having 

 children if you can't run and romp with them and yell 

 and have a good time? 



Some people are not satisfied except with a hired 

 living. Others are by circumstances held captive in the 

 city. In their meditative moments they see a low rambling 

 house with its orchard and garden, they see cows in the 

 pasture and hay fields and beyond they see the sunlight 

 and shadow lying on the distant hills. These visions come 

 every day. These are their "castles in Spain." 



When one can own a few acres of land beyond the 

 city borders surrounded by good neighbors and modern 

 conveniences and earn from $500 to $1,000 an acre each 

 year, it means the solving of an important economical 



